By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
Senator representing Bayelsa West, Foster Ogola, yesterday disclosed that the Late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who died in a London hospital Sunday night, was the brain behind the introduction of the six geo-political zone system in Nigeria.
According to Ogola, the deceased, who was a former Vice President of Nigeria during the Alhaji Shehu Shagari administration, was a versatile politician and intellectual known for his doggedness and tenacity.
Narrating his personal experience with the deceased, who he described as a pillar of Nigeria’s unity, Ogola said that after the constitutional conference of 1994-95, the Late Ekwueme formed the G-34 that brought about the present structure of the Nigerian state.
“Dr. Alex Ekwueme, a man of versatile background, will go down the nation’s history as a great pillar of Nigeria’s unity. In 1979, he partnered with Alhaji Shehu Shagari, won the general election and became Vice President.
“I worked with him during the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) days, when I was with him during the constitutional conference of 1994 and 1995 under General Ibrahim Babangida. I was a leader of the Ijaw delegation to that conference, while he was leader of the Igbo delegation.
“During the conference, we worked tirelessly to restructure the country without remuneration, as we were not there for the money.
“Alex Ekwueme, from my experience of him, was a very dogged and tenacious politician. After the conference, he was able to form the G-34 group that brought about the Nigeria as we have it today. He was a voice to be reckoned with in Nigeria.
“One credit due to him is that he championed the six zone system for Nigeria during the 1994-95 constitutional conference, Alex Ekwueme was a force behind the formation of the Southern coalition caucus”, he said.
The Senator further stated Ekwueme’s qualities were hard to ignore: “Among his sterling qualities, he was a politician who eschewed corruption and violence in his approach of finding solution to national issues. He never condoned violence, as he was a friend of all, and never treated anyone with nepotism.
“Also, because he was not corrupt, at no time was he found wanting by the then Buhari administration. There are few people as educated as Alex Ekwueme. He was amongst others an Architect and Lawyer, who shunned materialism. He never lived an opulent life and was not involved in controversy of any sort.
“In death, Nigeria misses an icon of great intellectual capacity: A man so intelligent that he was the engine room of the Shagari administration. That is the man Nigeria has missed. Adieu, his Excellency, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.”
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